During pregnancy, the developing fetus receives nutrients and oxygen through the placenta, which is connected to the inner wall of the mother's uterus. The placenta is connected to the fetus by the umbilical cord through an opening in the fetus' abdomen. After birth, the umbilical cord is clamped and cut close to the body, leaving an umbilical stump, which falls off naturally, typically in about 10-21 days.
While the umbilical cord stump remains attached to the newborn infant, the stump and the infant's navel must be kept clean and dry, due to the risk of bacterial infection of the umbilical cord stump. Umbilical cord stump care typically involves cleaning the area surrounding the umbilical cord stump with cleaning solutions, including, for example, hydrogen peroxide solution, isopropyl alcohol, anti microbial solutions, anti bacterial solutions and the like. Adequate cleaning requires cleaning the base of the umbilical cord stump, which is often tucked under folds of skin and therefore difficult to reach.
There are existing devices that can be used in the care and management of the umbilical cord following birth.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,882,570B2 discloses an infant garment [that] preserves body heat and facilitates access to a localized region of the body surface of a patient. The garment has a slit on the front that allows the region of the patient's body surface to be monitored and, if necessary, treated without requiring removal of the garment. The garment also has sleeves with cuffs that can be reversibly folded to cover or uncover the hand-openings in the distal ends of the sleeves.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,770,237B2 discloses a baby garment for accessing and protecting the umbilical cord for allowing the cleaning of and protecting a baby's umbilical cord. The baby garment for accessing and protecting the umbilical cord includes a piece of material having front and back portions and also having an umbilical-exposing hole being disposed through the front portion and about the baby's umbilical cord to allow a user to effectively clean the umbilical cord without the user having to remove the baby garment from the baby, and an oversized cover being hingedly attached to the front portion and being fastenably closeable and loosely disposed over the umbilical cord to effectively protect and not to irritate the umbilical cord.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,402,164B2 discloses a novel umbilical cord clamp and a combined umbilical cord clamp and cutter . . . for clamping and cutting umbilical cords in one motion. The cutter comprises two shells joined by a longitudinal hinge. A transverse blade is mounted in one shell, and a cutting support is mounted in the other shell across from the blade. One or more removable clamps may be engaged with the shells to be removable from the shells after cutting. Alternatively, a self-winding or plastically deformable band may be engageable with the shells. The cutter and its associated removable clamp(s) may be coordinated with an identifier, such as a color, number, or letter. Blood sampling and diagnostic features may be included with the cutter. The removable clamps may have an openable closure.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,875,200B1 discloses a bandage for protecting the skin of an infant's stomach surrounding an umbilical cord stump from the irritating effects of medicinal solutions. The bandage is substantially flat and has an absorbent upper surface, a substantially nonabsorbent lower surface, and a circular central cutout wherefrom the umbilical cord stump may be extended. The bandage has a flap closure portion comprising a bottom flap and an overlapping top flap. The top flap has adhesive on its lower surface whereby the top flap maybe attached to the bottom flap. In use, the bandage is placed on the infant's stomach with the umbilical cord stump extending therefrom. Then, the lower surface of the top flap is attached to the underlying bottom flap. With the protective bandage in place, a variety of solutions may be applied to the umbilical cord stump without irritating the sensitive skin of the infant's stomach.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,930A discloses [an] absorbent article [that] comprises a substantially liquid-impermeable outer cover member having a length and a width. The outer cover provides a rear waistband portion and a front waistband portion, and has a layer of polymer film material on an outer surface of the front waistband portion of the outer cover. A liquid permeable topsheet layer is provided for contacting a wearer's skin, and an absorbent body is interposed between the outer cover and the topsheet layer. The absorbent body has a length and width which are smaller than the outer cover length and width, thereby providing end margins and side margins of the outer cover. An adhesive fastening mechanism adheres to the film layer to secure the front and rear waistband portions of the outer cover about the wearer. An elastic member is connected to provide elasticized gathers along a cross-direction of the rear waistband portion of the outer cover. An outermost layer of substantially nonwettable, resilient material is connected to overlie the polymer film of the outer cover along the front waistband portion of the outer cover, thereby sandwiching the polymer film between the top sheet layer and the outermost layer of resilient material. The outermost resilient material has a lengthwise extent, which is less than the length of the outer cover.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,817,103A discloses an obstetrical combined disinfectant, clamp, cutter and containment system for umbilical cords, being housed in a comprehensive unit and having increased efficiency in the area of motion saving and exposure to infectious organisms during the birthing process and when exposure to infectious organisms is undesirable. A housing contains three umbilical clamps as part of the overall housing of the unit and two pair of serrated, cutting blades incorporated into the housing by way of bonding to the housing structure of the unit. After the baby's umbilical cord is placed horizontally in the unit, the disinfectant makes contact with the cutting sites of the umbilical cord, followed by the closing of the unit, simultaneously clamping and cutting the cord, whereafter the unit is twisted at the perforated midpoint, separating the fetal umbilical stump from the maternal end of the umbilical cord. Following separation, both maternal and infant cord ends remain in a clean environment, being totally enclosed in individual compartments. The maternal portion of the device is easily discarded after expulsion of the placenta. The infant's unit will remain in place from five to seven (5-7) days, at which point the cord gradually atrophies and the unit falls off.
In another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,657 discloses an umbilical cord cutting and clamping device is used with a fetal cord end clip to permit a physician to quickly sever an umbilical cord and securely clamp the fetal cord end.
In another example, U.S. patent application US20100137877A1 discloses a combined umbilical cord clamp, cutter, disinfectant, and data collecting system which reduces the risk of cord infections due to unsanitary birth conditions.
In another example, U.S. patent application US20090292295A1 discloses an umbilical cord ligature device comprising a flexible latex ligature that is pre-assembled on a semi-rigid plastic ring. The umbilical cord is slipped through the device to a point close to the baby's abdominal wall, and with a twist of fingers, the latex ligature is then released from the ring over the umbilical cord, where it stays compressing the cord until it dehydrates and falls off. The pressure that the ligature exerts around the umbilical cord during its dehydration period makes hemorrhages virtually impossible.
In another example, U.S. patent application US20080287960A1 discloses an umbilical cord clamping and cutting device assembled within opposing shields for minimizing the spray of blood during severing of the umbilical cord.
In another example, U.S. patent application US20080077067A1 discloses a hygienic applicator for applying a cleaning solution to the umbilical cord area of a newborn. The hygienic applicator includes a support member that is substantially cylindrical in shape. The support member includes two ends. Superposed on each end is a tip made from an absorbent material that is designed to retain a desired cleaning solution and assist the user in applying the cleaning solution to the desired area. The support member is further enclosed in a container having a cavity of sufficient size to substantially enclose the support member therein and prevent the evaporation of the cleaning solution for the applicator. The container further includes an opening mechanism for facilitating the easy opening of the container.
In another example, U.S. patent application US20050090836A1 discloses a care kit for an umbilical cord for a newborn child. The care kit comprises a supply of materials necessary to care for an umbilical cord until it falls off which is estimated to be about two weeks. The present invention includes a wet umbilical cord cleaner, which have been wet with a disinfectant, and a dry umbilical cord cleaner to clean off any excess alcohol. Also included are clear adhesive dressings which are used during sponge baths to keep the umbilical cord dry. Additionally provided, are a convenient carrying case along with instructions for the umbilical cord care to prepare the parent for reporting back to the baby's doctor.
In another example, U.S. patent application US20040172043A1 discloses a novel umbilical cord clamp and a combined umbilical cord clamp and cutter are provided for clamping and cutting umbilical cords in one motion. The cutter comprises two shells joined by a longitudinal hinge. A transverse blade is mounted in one shell, and a cutting support is mounted in the other shell across from the blade. One or more removable clamps may be engaged with the shells to be removable from the shells after cutting. Alternatively, a self-winding or plastically deformable band may be engageable with the shells. The cutter and its associated removable clamp(s) may be coordinated with an identifier, such as a color, number, or letter. Blood sampling and diagnostic features may be included with the cutter. The removable clamps may have an openable closure.
In another example, U.S. patent application US20030195476A1 discloses an apparatus useful for umbilical cord care and method of its use are disclosed. The apparatus provides an injector that is detachably connected to a disposable applicator. The umbilical cord care apparatus may be provided as a kit, particularly suited for use at home.
In another example, U.S. patent application US20030036733A1 discloses an apparatus useful for umbilical cord care and method of its use are disclosed. The apparatus provides an injector that is detachably connected to a disposable applicator. The umbilical cord care apparatus may be provided as a kit, particularly suited for use at home.
In another example, U.S. patent application US20020198535A1 discloses an umbilical cord clamp and a combined umbilical cord clamp and cutter . . . for clamping and cutting umbilical cords in one motion. The cutter comprises two shells joined by a longitudinal hinge.
In spite of the importance of proper umbilical cord stump care, the current methods and devices, including those devices disclosed above, have several disadvantages, including the inability to gain access to and sufficiently clean the area around the base of the umbilical cord stump. Furthermore, the person cleaning the umbilical cord stump frequently has to hold the umbilical cord stump, moving and tugging on the stump, thereby increasing the risk of detaching the umbilical cord stump prematurely. Additionally, existing devices do not protect the infant's skin from the chemicals used to clean the umbilical cord stump.
Therefore, there exist a need for a device that protects the infant's skin from the chemicals used to clean the umbilical cord stump, that provides protection and support for the umbilical cord stump during cleaning, that enhances the full cleaning of the umbilical cord stump and surrounding area, and that reduces the risk that the umbilical cord stump detaches prematurely.